WCU faculty to join protest over lack of contract

WEST CHESTER – More than 100 West Chester University faculty members will join representatives from the other 13 other state schools in Harrisburg Thursday in an effort to keep negotiations from stalling as the spring semester is set to begin in less than a week.

The faculty members will demonstrate at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governor’s meeting in Harrisburg.

Faculty have been without a contract since June of 2011.

Members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty, the faculty union, say they don’t want to strike, but will plan appropriate action if a settlement isn’t reached soon. The union has offered to negotiate before the next scheduled session of Feb. 1, though the state system had not agreed to meet before the date.

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“We can’t continue like this,” said Lisa Millhous, union president for the West Chester University chapter. “Our members have made concessions, offered binding arbitration, and have negotiated in good faith, and we are frustrated.”

The union represents 6,000 faculty and coaches at the 14 state-owned universities.

The state system said students and their families should know it is committed to achieving a new collective bargaining agreement with the union.

The state system added its leadership has made it clear throughout the negotiations that its primary focus is representing the interests of students and their families.

“West Chester University offers an excellent education,” Millhous said. “Our students and their parents expect us to stand up for high quality public education in Pennsylvania. When it comes to college education, quality means hiring and retaining excellent faculty.”

The state system said it has put a reasonable compensation package for faculty on the table but needs savings to offset the increased costs to the universities, students and families.

According to the state system, two major cost drivers for its universities are the health care benefits it provides to both active and retired employees. If those aren’t addressed, the costs threaten to overwhelm the system and take away resources that could otherwise be used to improve and modernize its educational offerings, the system said.

The state system said it has offered a number of health care plan options with the goal of more closely aligning the system with the health care plan that the Commonwealth’s 80,000 employees receive.

For future, not current, employees, the state system has proposed to offer an optional health care account similar to the current option available for a retirement account. The change, which would begin to address more than $1.4 billion outstanding financial obligation in the area, would apply only to employees hired after July 1, 2013.

Millhous said the state system and local administration are spreading misinformation.

“They want us to accept substantial increases in out-of-pocket health care costs and to resign new faculty to an unfair system of lump sum payments for retiree health care,” Millhous said. “We understand the need to contain escalating health care costs, but faculty already pay more for health care than any public employees in the Commonwealth.”

The university said it has plans in place should a faculty strike occur. Students are invited to visit http://www.wcupa.edu/Negotiations/, for the latest information and negotiation status.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with about 115,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. About 500,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

About the Author

Jeremy Gerrard is the Daily Local News' reporter covering the West Chester area and local school district. Jeremy is a Chester County native and a graduate of Auburn University. Reach the author at jgerrard@dailylocal.com
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